Job Crisis In America

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address the current state of the economy and the jobs crisis that is facing Virginia's Fifth District and our Nation.

The August jobs report that was released last week showed that no net new jobs were added to the economy in the month of August, while unemployment remains unacceptably high at 9.1 percent, underscoring the urgent need for real change in Washington so we can get America working again.

To help jump-start our economy, the House has been laser focused on supporting those policies that seek to remove the Federal Government as a barrier to job creation, to unleash innovation and invite opportunity in the private sector. To this end, the House has already passed several pro-growth measures that could immediately help spur job creation in Virginia's Fifth District and across our country. Unfortunately, the Senate has inexplicably refused to take action on these bills, blocking progress on commonsense solutions that would help turn our economy around at a time when we need it most.

Continuing to build on our efforts in the House to grow the economy and create jobs, the majority leader recently announced the upcoming fall and winter legislative schedule for Congress, which will focus on reducing and repealing unnecessary government regulations to create a more certain economic environment to provide our true job creators with the confidence and the freedom necessary to expand and hire.

I was glad that the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, H.R. 1633, a bill I coauthored with Representative Noem, was included as a part of this overall agenda on jobs and regulatory relief, and I am glad that the House will take action on this important bipartisan legislation. H.R. 1633 will prohibit the EPA from burdening farmers and small business owners in rural America with additional dust regulations so they can focus on growing their businesses and putting people back to work.

As the President prepares to address a Joint Session of Congress this evening to unveil his latest jobs plan, it is my hope that he will take this opportunity to urge the Senate to act on the bipartisan House-passed jobs bills, move past his failed stimulus measures, abandon his threats of more tax hikes, and join with us in the House in supporting those policies that put our economic recovery in the hands of the people of the Fifth District and all Americans instead of the Federal Government.

Founded in 2006, the Sunlight Foundation is a nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for open government globally and uses technology to make government more accountable to all. Visit SunlightFoundation.com to learn more.

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